Farewell to Bliss
by Patelli
Summary: Hinamori has been living the idyllic life after the Winter War.  But all too soon her past is returning to haunt her, and she fears that she is going to end up hurting those she cares for the most.  A sequel to Tea and Tails.  Komahina friendship.
1. Chapter 1

**Farewell to Bliss**

**For the first bit this story seems like another fluffy slice of Soul Society life. But I promise, after the initial setting you are going to get some action of the awesome kind in chapter two. Also a lot of the things in this story will not make sense unless you read my first story Tea and Tails, which is entirely fluff but has important plot points.**

**If you decide not to read the first one, here is a spoiler for context:**

**Hinamori was removed from her vice-captain position and made 3rd seat to seventh squad where she is the assistant and friend to Captain Komamura.  
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Chapter One

Whispering, she heard whispering, many tiny voices were talking to her. Just as she was about to call out to them, her eyes opened.

Sunlight assaulted Momo's tired eyes. She sat up slowly, her brown hair falling back. Captain Sajin Komamura had kept her up late last night because of a sudden deadline for paperwork.

_It is his own fault anyway; he should have kept track of the date. _She silently grumbled. Then she remembered Sajin's tired but victorious smile after they finished the work. She smiled at the memory, no one but herself, and maybe Iba knew that Komamura could smile, and that when he smiled he looked like a puppy. Moreover, of course, Momo could not be angry at the big wolf-man when he looks so adorable at those moments.

She sighed heavily, _Oh well; I guess I start another day._

She looked in the mirror as she fixed her hair. She did not pull it up into a bun anymore. Now she folds her hair up behind her head, a much more grown up look. Which was actually very good now, as she had grown three inches since the end of the Winter War.? She noticed this when her eye-line was now at his diaphragm and no longer at upper stomach level.

These past few years life had been peaceful in the Seiterei. Some people such as Ikkaku complained that there was no point to being a Shinigami any more if there was nothing to do. However, Momo liked the peace. She liked working in the paperwork, walking through the garden, and occasionally going on a hollow hunt. Most of all, she could do it all with him, her captain. She was at home, and her only wish was that it would go on forever.

After securing her hair with the clip that Sajin had given her two new years back, she began to stand, but stopped when she noticed something in the mirror.

"What's that?" she asked as she touched the small coin sized white speck at the corner of her forehead. It was perfectly smooth and hard. "Odd, must be some sort of welt." she decided to head over to Squad Four later and have it checked out.

She walked over to the captain's office and prepared a pot of tea. She always got up early, before Sajin woke. Though the wolf-captain was not a late-riser, he did not get going easily, and if he did not have his tea, he would not get going at all.

Hearing footsteps from behind, Momo turned to see Lieu. Iba. "Oh, good morning Tetsuzaemon,"

"Oh good morning Hinamori, is the captain up?"

She shook her head, "No, not yet. Why, what do you need?"

"Oh, well I forgot to remind him yesterday that there is the quarterly meeting this morning." Iba said, scratching his head nervously.

Momo gave a half smile, and said, "Iba-san, put that pot over the stove."

The moustached man gave an odd look, but did what she requested. Within a few moments, the pot was screaming. She calmly walked up, removed the kettle and poured it into the teapot. A sliding door from the left slammed open and the captain emerged from his bedchamber and stretched stiffly.

Momo sat at the table and poured out three cups of tea. The captain followed suite and sat beside her, accepting the hot cup of tea. The two drank in silence as Iba looked on.

Not a single word was said, but when the captain lowered his empty cup Hinamori would fill it. Then after a while, she handing him a brush and the canine accepted it wordlessly and began ordering his dishevelled fur.

Iba was quite stunned. The two of them acted as if they had done this a thousand times. Neither of them was missing a beat, as they seemed to go through a daily ceremony. It ended with both of them rising simultaneously and walking to the office. The vice-captain followed and saw Hinamori take down all the things the two of them had left undone from the previous night and put them in order.

After a few moments of silent work, Komamura spoke up, "Do you have something to tell me Iba?"

The vice-captain rapidly stood at attention, "Y-y-yes captain, Head captain Yamamoto has ordered the quarterly meeting to be held today."

"Very well," Komamura replied, then turned his attention to his third seat, "Hinamori-san, file this stack and take this report to Squad 10, after that, you have the day to yourself until I am finished with the meeting."

"Yes Saji-" she stopped and made a quick glance at Iba, "-Captain Komamura."

With that, Komamura left with Iba trailing behind, glancing strangely between his captain and the young woman.

"I hope I'm not intruding!" Hinamori spoke up as she entered the Tenth Squad's captain's office.

Matsumoto turned and greeted her, "Oh hello Hinamori!"

"Hi, I had this report to deliver from captain Komamura." she explained.

"Oh well that's nice," the busty redhead replied, taking the papers absentmindedly.

"I guess I'll be going." Hinamori bowed politely.

"No no! Wait Hinamori!" she grabbed the younger girl's arm, "I have some good news, I made a proposal that Toshiro-kun will be bringing to the quarterly meeting. I need you to express your support for it to your captain as well. It is for a pool and onsen get together for all the shinigami ranked third seat and higher. I'm hoping Squad One will be hosting it, but the more captains who are for it the better!"

"Uh," Momo twiddled her fingers nervously, "I think that would be kind of an awkward thing to just ask my captain out of the blue."

"Oh come on what do you have to loose, after all, in the last few years you've now got a figure that's something to be proud of. There's already hoards of men who think you are the cutest shinigami, now you just have to show that you can be sexy too and you will be almost as popular as me!" Rangiku exclaimed patting Momo on the back.

Momo shook her head furiously, "Th-that's not something I'm just going to flaunt. I get embarrassed easily, I've only been to an onsen once, and then I had a partitioned area to myself."

A dangerous glint appeared in the redhead's eyes, "Then what about your captain?"

"Huh?" Momo's face was the picture of confusion.

"There will be public swimming, so we might get a peak at his ever elusive figure." Rangiku replied mischievously.

"I'm leaving," Hinamori, replied flatly, "you're getting weird."

"But we might find out if he has a tail or not."

When Momo stopped in her tracks Rangiku knew she had laid the right bait.

Rangiku continued, "I know you, of all people, have been incredibly curious. For all we know, he might have a cute and curly husky tail,"

Momo flinched.

"Or perhaps a luscious fox tail,"

Momo turned back towards Rangiku slightly.

"Or maybe a long luxuriously soft wolf's tail."

Momo bit her lip.

Rangiku smiled in victory. "So, will you suggest it?"

After a long pause, "No," Momo replied, "If he has a tail then so be it. Whether he does or does not, if he has not shown it to us he must have his reasons. It's just like I don't like to show off either."

"Humph," Rangiku pouted, "you're no fun."

Momo waited patiently outside the meeting-room; oddly, her mind was still back on her conversation with Rangiku. She turned and made some glamour poses. The she shook her head. "I certainly don't want to run around dressed like that, besides, I'm sure all I would have to do is ask Sajin whether he has a-,"

Just then at the worst of moments the captains emerged and Sajin's sharp ears turned towards her attentively. "Ask me about what?" he inquired, walking over to his third-seat.

Suddenly Momo realised how awkward it would be to ask her friend such a potentially personal question. "Ah… er… Well I was just wondering what things were passed, Rangiku asked me to find out."

Komamura grunted and the name of the obnoxious redhead and started walking, Hinamori falling into step next to him. "I know why she wanted to know. She proposed some silly thing of having a pool and onsen event. It irritates me how such mundane things should be covered in a captain's meeting when we have so many more important matters to discuss."

"Umm, well since Rangiku is going to hound me later, did it pass?" Momo asked, pretending to be disinterested.

"Almost unanimously, Genryusai-dono liked it; he has a weakness to such things. Soifon accepted, on the condition that Yoruichi would be invited. Unohana, who I thought was more sensible, liked it. So I looked to Kuchiki as the voice of reason but he too went for it. Shinsui, at the hint of women in swimsuits offered to sponsor it. Hitsugaya thankfully was on my side, I always knew he was sensible, hot-headed in battle, but a sensible man," Komamura looked down at his shorter companion and said with the hint of a grin, "he will be very good for you."

Momo blushed as she glared angrily at her captain.

"No where was I?" Komamura asked himself, "Oh yeah, Kenpachi, though he acted completely disinterested, in the end voted for it, I suspect a certain pink haired vice-captain we all know as the reason. Kurotsuchi was for it, he liked the 'research' potential. And Ukitake thought it would be good for everyone's health."

She had been keeping it in, but finally Momo burst forth in laughter. Komamura smiled and his ears twitched joyfully at the melodic sound until he too let in a few chuckles.

After their laughter died down Momo sighed heavily, "Oh well, I guess this means Rangiku is going to drag me along. I don't like these things much, they were fine when I was younger, sort of, but the thought of being mostly naked, around all those mostly naked people is, kind of, frightening." she looked up at Komamura, "I know it's so silly."

He gave a small sympathetic smile, "No, it's not silly, I always swim and such alone. I guess I'll finally have to wear those swimming trunks Iba got me as a gag gift."

"What? Really?" Momo asked, "I didn't take Iba as a joke kind of guy."

"He is always trying to get me to come along to these events, something about representing our squad's honour and other such nonsense."

Hinamori sighed, "I guess I will have to go buy a new swimsuit, my old one certainly wouldn't fit anymore."

"Why?" Komamura asked innocently, "You've only grown up about three inches."

Hinamori looked up at her captain, wondering if she should explain her reasons… she decided against it and gave the frivolous reply of, "You know us women, we can't wear the same swimsuit twice, it would be humiliating. Besides, Rangiku would be on my case."

"Ah, makes sense." Komamura nodded. "I understand not wanting to be the odd one."

Hinamori stopped in her tracks; Komamura looked back at her in confusion. "Is something the matter Momo?"

"I- I don't think you would be the odd one out." Momo said sincerely.

Komamura looked perplexed, then smiled and said, "Well, I guess we will be the two odd ones, how about that?"

Momo nodded.

"This is humiliating." Momo said to herself and she plopped into the hot water, disappearing up to her neck.

She was at least glad the girl's area was partitioned from the boys. However, unfortunately, the pool was not. So now, she had to stay in here surrounded by uncomfortably hot water. She looked onto the crystal surface and looked at her face. But something was wrong, the small white spot was a lot larger now, covering half of her forehead and moving down to her right eye. She reached up and touched it and the next thing the world around her vanished.

She found herself in a row of blooming plum trees in the midst of a vast orchard and wearing her shinigami uniform. Petals fell down all around her.

"Such a pretty world you have here." an all too familiar voice stated from behind her.

She whirled around, "Aizen!"

"Hello Hinamori-kun." he waved cheerfully.

"What are you doing here, and where is Tobiume?" she demanding, noticing the absence of her zanpakuto within her inner world.

"She had to step out for a while, don't worry, she's not harmed. My, you have become quite bold in the past few years." He chuckled nostalgically. "And you have bloomed, in more ways then one." he said, giving her the classical once-over.

She glared, "Get out, this isn't where you belong. I thought your powers were sealed."

He laughed and shook his head patronisingly, "The Central Forty-six did seal me, but I still have enough power to give myself a moment's amusement."

A shiver ran down Hinamori's spine, "Wh-what have you done?" she yelled.

"I just activated a little souvenir I left behind. You see, that white speck you noticed, is the beginnings of a hollowfication. As it spreads across your face, you will become less like a shinigami, and more like a hollow."

"No!" she uttered. "Why, why go after me, again! What do you have to gain?"

"Oh you are still always the naïve one," he shook his head patronisingly, "if it was just to mess with you that would be so petty. No, you see, your hollowfication is special, I have made it so your hollow self does not contain a personality, and instead, you will simply blow up when you loose consciousness of yourself. Moreover, the resulting explosion will misbalance all the reiatsu of Soul Society, therefore releasing me.

"Now, I think it is time for our farewells, we will speak later."

Her eyes closed as if falling asleep and then heard voices all around her.

"Hinamori!" she was being shaken. She opened her eyes to see a very worried Nanao. "What happened Hinamori?"

"I, I just fell asleep." _What? That's not the truth._

"Well, maybe you need to go out and cool off." Nanao suggested.

"Alright," _No, I'm not fine; Aizen is making me see things! _She looked at the water and saw her reflection, the beginnings of a hollow mask plain in sight, "Hinamori, what's wrong?"

"Th-the mask, don't you see it?" She looked up at Nanao and pointed at the mask.

"Ok," Rangiku chimed in, "you need to cool off. To the pool we go!"

Hinamori just kept wondering, _Why couldn't they see it? Is it Aizen's total hypnosis? Then, is he just hypnotising me? Or all of them?_

She was so deep in thought that she had forgotten that they were headed to the public pool… where everyone else was!

Sajin walked wearily away from the pool area grumbling to himself about Iba being an idiot.

As he walked down the hall to the dressing room, he attempted to dry all of the water out of his soaked fur, which was proving to be in vain with such a small towel. His fur was laying flat on his body making him feel like a sponge, and he must have been carrying five or six gallons. He heard a commotion up ahead and saw the scantily clad Matsumoto pushing a very reluctant Hinamori to the pool area.

Hinamori was pleading with the redhead anxiously, "Listen, I'm really shy, there's going to be people there! I've been trying to keep up an image!"

Nanao was following behind anxiously, and wanted to help, but she had a personal fear of the red head as well and simply stared apologetically had her younger friend. She looked past the two women and saw Komamura likewise watching with a disinterested expression. She was trying to telepathically ask him to help his subordinate, but to no avail.

Rangiku stopped a moment and looked at Momo's violet one-piece swimsuit that ran from her knees to just below her collarbone. "Well of course that outfit could ruin anyone's reputation, if you don't get in a bikini everyone will see you as a little girl, and the only guys you'll attract are loli fans."

"Matsumoto-san! Don't talk like that! I, I just need some rest, I'm feeling strange, I was seeing things just a little while ago. And what is a loli?"

"Then some cold water will do you good!" Rangiku insisted, pulling her closer to the pool entrance.

Komamura hadn't said a thing during the entire exchange. In reality, he had to get past them to leave, so he decided to just wait quietly. He considered rescuing his third-seat from her flamboyant captor. Nevertheless, he figured if Momo really wanted to be left, alone she could easily defend herself. He suddenly felt the demanding urge to shake, and though he tried to stop himself in the end, he lost to his primal demands.

Water sprayed in all direction, and Nanao, Matsumoto, and the victimised Hinamori all found themselves in a torrent of lukewarm water.

For the first time Rangiku noticed the large captain, she waved pleasantly and dived into the pool.

"Oh dear," Nanao said, embarrassed, and she likewise followed suit.

Momo wiped her eyes and before her stood a not so formally attired captain.

Komamura wondered a moment why Momo looked horrified. Then he remembered that all her was wearing were shorts and a wet towel over his shoulders.

Momo's face turned a shade almost as dark as her swimsuit.

_This is, uncomfortable, _was all that Komamura could think at that moment.

The third seat looked around. She realised that she had three options, jump into the pool, the same place she had mere seconds ago tried to avoid, and currently was where Rangiku was winking while giving her a thumbs up for reasons she couldn't comprehend. Second, she could run off back to the onsen, or third, she could say something that would alleviate this awkward situation.

"Uh, I guess I need to dry off now." she said while scolding herself internally, _I am such an idiot, idiot, idiot. I'm standing here, barely dressed, in front of a similarly barely dressed captain who not in a million years did I imagine outside of his shinigami robes._

Sajin's ears fell back as he scratched neck awkwardly, "Sorry about that, Hinamori-san."

Normally Hinamori would have been amused by how expressive his ears could be, but right now, all she could do was bow, cover her face, and hurry out of view while yelling back, "Sorry for the intrusion!"

_Good going Sajin, _he grumbled at himself. _You scare here then embarrass her. Evening paperwork is going to be fun._

"Captain!" Iba yelled, "We're starting water polo and Captain Ukitake wants you to be the goalie!" Iba shrank back from the wrathful expression his superior shot at him.

"This," Komamura said irritated through gritted fangs, "was a terrible idea." He looked over at the pool just as Rangiku dunked hurriedly under the water.

"That… was humiliating; I am never speaking to that woman again! And I embarrassed Sajin; he probably thinks I'm scared of him now. Stupid, stupid, stupid! There must have been something I could have said!" Momo ranted as she finished getting back in normal attire.

She buried her face in her hands, and then felt a hard solid surface. She looked in the mirror frantically. Half of her forehead and one of her eyes had been encased in the beginnings of a hollow mask. One of her eyes was now just a violet glow behind a narrow, trapezoid shaped hole. As she watched, the mask climbed another few millimetres down her face.

Komamura finally gathered up the courage and was about to knock on Hinamori's door; when it slammed open in front of him and Hinamori stopped just in time before she ran right into him. She looked up at his face with a terrified expression.

_Something's wrong, _he thought to himself.

"Sajin," she began.

He was momentarily relieved at her use of his first name, as if to confirm that they were still friends.

"Take me to Squad Twelve." she demanded.

"What? Why?" he asked.

"Just please, I need to have some tests run."

"Because I'm," _Going to become a hollow and explode! _To her surprise, her voice was forcefully cut off, as if someone stole the breath from her throat.

"What?" Sajin asked, honestly worried.

"Be-be-because I have to talk to Mayuri about something." she found that as soon as she decided to lie, she could speak.

Komamura's brow knotted up. He knew something was not right, but the anxious look in her brown eyes was too strong for him to not comply.

Tobiume looked around at the plum trees of her world. One by one, their blossoms died and the trees withered into grey skeletons. The only colour left in the world was her pink kimono.

"Momo!" She cried, "Why can't I hear you?"

She heard sinister laughing and turned. There stood a woman with pitch very long, pitch-black hair wearing a white Kimono with the design of falling black crows. Her face was covered in a white mask with two trapezoid shaped eyes, the right one had a violet line running down it, like a trail of tears down her cheek to the corner of the mouth, which gaped open showing a row of cat like teeth.

"Hello." the woman's metallic voice said.

"Who-who are you?" Tobiume cried out.

"I'm the better version of you." though the zanpakuto couldn't see it, she could hear the evil grin. The woman's hair suddenly shot forward, expanding and then engulfing Tobiume. "Now I shall devour you, and we will be more powerful than before!"

In Hinamori's bedroom, the hilt of her sword turned a pure white, and the blade became a dark iridescent violet.

"There really isn't anything different with you since the last time I examined you." The purple faced Mayuri said through his golden teeth as he leaned forward. "But since you are so anxious to be thoroughly examined, I have a few harmless tests that I would like a specimen such as you to assist with."

Komamura placed a protected palm on Hinamori's shoulder. "I think that will be all."

Momo looked down at the ground, feeling humiliated, especially because of Sajin's concerned gaze. She let herself be guided out of the lab area and walk alongside her captain, his comforting hand still resting on her shoulder.

"Well, glad we were able to get out of there before Mayuri decided to do something obscene." he said, trying to put as much cheer in his voice as possible.

"I haven't been able to contact my zanpakuto." Momo said mournfully.

"You know Momo, sometimes zanpakuto do that, they have temperamental periods, it just happens sometimes." he said reassuringly. "Even Tekken hasn't spoken to me for months on end."

_Crack!_

A sudden pain overwhelmed Hinamori, and the world disappeared to her.

"Nemu!" Mayuri beckoned his 'daughter.' "Come here, it seems we have an interesting specimen. We need to be ready to study it closely as Momo-kun goes through her change. This will be entertaining and so very informative." He rubbed his hands eagerly together.

Komamura watched Momo bend over in pain. "What's the matter!" he asked.

He helped her back up and she smiled at him with a strange grin that immediately made him feel uncomfortable.

"Oh nothing Sajin."

His eyes widened. At the moment, they had been in a very crowded courtyard, and she had just called him so intimately without a title. Several faces turned in surprise.

She continued, still speaking in that strange voice, "I just wanted to say, bakudo number sixty, six point star." Six blades of light rammed into the captain, trapping him. Then Momo vanished from the area in a flash step.

After a moment, he shattered the binding spell. And yelled, "Restrain third-seat Hinamori!"

Genryusai felt a present so he turned and found Hinamori standing behind him.

"Hinamori-kun, what are you doing here?" he asked pleasantly.

She glared at him, "Set Aizen-sama free!" then she flash stepped forward, blade ready to strike.

The head captain realised that her flash step was faster then natural, and wasn't in a ready position to stop it. But just as the blade was about to enter his abdomen the attacker slow enough for him to grab the hilt.

Momo's eyes unclouded. She stood stunned at the current situation. She had her katana drawn and she was in the middle of attacking her superior. She released her hold of her sword and stumbled backwards.

She turned when she felt a familiar reiatsu enter the office. She shook her head pleadingly at Sajin. He looked back at her with a troubled expression.

"How long," Yamamoto asked, "have you been hiding your true loyalties?"

"I, I haven't!" she yelled earnestly. "I don't know what's going on; I've been normal, tell him Captain Komamura!"

Komamura remained silent, he was trying to assess her actions, and why she had suddenly changed. "Genryu-"

The head captain shook his ancient head, "Komamura, it seems you have been played the fool."

Komamura looked down, even though he thought she was innocent, the head captain seemed to have the power to instil guilt into anyone.

"Komamura!" Momo cried out, "Tell him! I don't know what's going on."

The head captain shook his head. "Even if what you claim was true, you are obviously in a mental state of distress. I know now that I made the call having you stripped of your rank. But it seems I was too lenient to place you in the care of someone too naive and caring. Someone who makes bonds too easily." He turned to his vice-captain and said, "Get Unohana, and have Hinamori confined securely."

"No!" Hinamori screamed. "It wasn't me, Aizen is making me into a-" _hollow! _Again, her voice was snapped from her.

"Aizen, again?" Yamamoto shook his head wearily, "You really are a lost case."

Tears rolled down her face, she turned her eyes to Komamura, but he turned away. She had bindings placed on her and a seal to block her powers. Her eyes never left Sajin's back as she was escorted away.

She whispered, knowing only Sajin's sensitive ears would hear, "You're leaving me too?"

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**I know, evil place to leave off. Second chapter should be coming along in a week or two. It's going to be my first attempt at real, Bleach style action. So be looking forward to it!**

**And for those who are wondering where on earth Hitsugaya is, I promise he is going to be in the next chapter.  
**

**Critiques and complements are very welcome so please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

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And now the continuation! Very sorry to MomoIchigo for getting her interested and then cutting

the first chapter off like that. she asked as she rolled onto her side. He stayed awake and watched her. He knew she had surrendered too easily.

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Chapter 2

Sajin laid down on his futon. Something was leaving him very unsettled about the events of earlier that day. _What was wrong with her? It's not like her to do that. Despite what Genryusai thinks, I know that she wasn't lying when she said that she hadn't done anything. _He sat up and leaned forward thoughtfully, as he re-examined the situation._ And then, she brought up Aizen, why? She said something about him making her into… That's where her voice just cut out. _Then a sudden worrisome thought crossed his mind, _Did Aizen find some indirect way to get past the seal?_

He lay back down, considering the situation carefully. Then he heard something so foreign to him, silence. Usually at this time of night he could hear quiet steady breathing. He had fallen asleep to her ambient sound so many times, that now he couldn't drift off even if he wanted. Her final whisper ran through his min, _'You're leaving me too?'_

He sighed heavily, and got up and clothed himself. He was in no mood for sleep anymore.

Hinamori surveyed her inner world. The blossoming trees were all gone, and replaced with a flat grey stone and a starry sky. The only thing not monotonous, was the single, white clad masked woman staring with her violet glowing eyes at Hinamori.

"So, you've come at last." she said.

"Yes," Momo said, drawing her sword. "Now, let's not make this last long, I'm running short on time."

The woman cocked her head then said cheerfully, "Alright!" Then charged forward, drawing her violet bladed version of Tobiume.

Their blades clanged loudly again and again as they made contact. Hinamori was pressed back, only barely keeping up with the fast movements. Then Hinamori's foot faltered only momentarily, but it was enough and the hollow dove in for the kill.

But just as the blade ripped the shinigami's robes, she vanished. The next thing the hollow knew was Tobiume was pressed against her throat.

"How?" the hollow demanded.

"I am a master of kido," Momo began with a threatening tone, "Therefore I also must be able to understand the properties of my reiatsu thoroughly. Before when you took me over, and now when we fought, I was finally able to discover where you tap your power from. I concluded that you in fact are not a separate being, we both draw from the same well. I just needed to figure out where to drop my bucket." Then her voice fell dangerously low, "Now, tell me how to use you, and we might both be able to get out of this predicament."

The woman's masked head lowered in submission. "Very well, where should I begin?"

The Twelfth squad captain grinned victoriously as he looked over the readings again. "This is excellent, she's about to go through the metamorphosis. And now that she's confined, it will be easy for me to study her. At last," he gloated, "I can finally gain the one thing I've desired, that fabulous power the hollow's possess."

He got up from his lab, "Now, time for a jailbreak dear Momo-kun."

Both Hinamori and the hollow woman were resting. For the past few days they had been fighting and the hollow had been instructing her host.

Momo turned to her pale 'companion' and asked, "Do you have a name?"

"No," the hollow replied quickly, then reconsidering a moment she said, "but, you can call me Saha."

"Left wing?" Momo raised an eyebrow curiously, "It's a nice name, but why?"

For a long moment, 'Saha's' violet eyes stared at back at her, "You will know why, in time."

Hinamori stood up, "I don't suppose you would know when we are supposed to fully hollowfy and meet our unfortunate ends?"

"I can sense how long it may take." she replied. "We have at most two weeks. However, I can feel that this location is closer to whatever source is causing this phenomena." then she also stood and stared off into the distance of the dreary world. "It irritates me how I don't even know why I am willing to assist you. It seems that you're zanpakuto, when I devoured her, has nestled herself within in me, tempering what I would be. I was too weak when I consumed her, and she has left a permanent mark on me. But there is another reason I wish to help you."

"What would that be?" Momo asked nervously, hearing the sudden change in her tone.

"Because, I don't want my fate to be decided by this 'Aizen.' He doomed me from ever becoming truly hollow, and instead I must keep in a constant limbo with you." she growled, "I have an instant dislike towards people like him, just as I hate that old man and the purple thing that calls himself a captain." The vehemence grated through her mask like the screeching gears of some monstrous engine.

Hinamori couldn't suppress a shudder. Now she new for sure that this being was only her ally for convenience sake, and if she ever dropped her guard, this creature would gladly suppress her.

"You were going to teach me something about hollow powers, something about a Bara?" she asked, hoping to change the topic.

"Bala!" the hollow snapped, "Ba-la, pronounce it right already!"

Saha's hand glowed with a purple light, then she made a first and punched, a bullet of energy shot forward and exploded into the surface of the green floor a distance away. "That is a hollow's fastest attack, and the only one I'm strong enough to use. However, I can't instruct you any further while we are in captivity, your reiatsu will become too noticeably unstable, I suggest we leave."

"But they bound my powers, I don't even have my sword." Momo asked.

"They might have bound your powers, but they haven't bound mine." she replied haughtily.

In a quiet cell, with a small window looking out at the stars, Hinamori wiped her eyes once more as tears threatened to spill down her face as she stood, gazing out the window.

A hand interrupted hers, "It really did irritate me when you cried."

She backed away as soon as she recognised the voice. "Aizen!" she cried angrily.

"Yet again with the rude greetings." he sighed, "Do you really have time to stay in here? After all, you are a ticking time bomb, as soon as you fully hollowfy, you will explode, and take a full quarter of this wretched place with you. Or you could let all go it's course and end everything that causes you pain."

Hinamori looked up, "I wasn't crying out of hopelessness." she gave a half grin, "On the contrary, I was just getting it all out, so I won't have remorse for what I am about to do."

Aizen, for the first time she had ever seen, actually looked perplexed. "Really? And what is your plan?"

"You'll just have to watch. You have underestimated me this time." she stood up and raised her fist to the wall. Then she drew it back and thrust forward, a purple projectile smashed through the wall revealing the view of Seiterei.

"You see, Aizen, Hinamori has made a pact with me, we aren't the same anymore." after Saha's final statement, she leapt out of the cell and flash stepped. Into the distance.

_A bala? _Aizen mused, _This will be enjoyable._

"Saha," Hinamori asked, "Where are we going to go?"

"First we need your katana, they sent it back to your room." she replied.

"At least everyone there has low detection skills… except Sajin."

"We'll figure that out when we get there." the hollow ordered.

A white hand gripped of the bars of the now empty cell where a gaping whole looked in on.

"Little brat!" Mayuri spat out. "I sense though, if her hollow powers came out they would misbalance any seal placed on a shinigami. Oh well," he shrugged, "I guess I have more time to prepare for what she's going to do next. Just a few more days and I will have my specimen."

The Seventh Squad was mostly quiet. Occasional murmurings and laughter could be heard, but otherwise, silence. Hinamori quietly entered her room, and smiled relieved when she saw Tobiume. But before she could walk over to get it, the temperature of the room lowered.

"Going somewhere, Hinamori?"

She turned her head and smiled weakly at white haired captain Toshiro.

"Hinamori," he gently, "I know you are the kindest of people, but running isn't going to prove your innocence."

Biting her lip in anguish a tear started to fall, she wanted to tell him so much, but even now she could feel Aizen's hand at her throat, ready to cut her words off. "I can't sit still anymore Toshiro, I can't always rely on being rescued."

Toshiro shook his head as he stepped forward, "Don't you understand? Momo, no matter how many times, I will always be happy to come to your rescue."

His voice was ripping her heart out, she could feel her resolve wavering. Her hesitation grew even worse when his arms embraced her.

She buried her face in his shoulder and commented, "You're taller than me."

"Really?" he said, tightening the embrace.

"Yeah, I guess you aren't Shiro-_chan _anymore."

He smiled, "If you want to call me that, you can."

She laughed quietly, then fell silent. Finally after a long pause she whispered in his ear, "I'm sorry, Toshiro."

He looked questioningly at her. Then he felt her disintegrate in arms and fall to the ground. He looked at the red pile, "Petals!" the pile was blown away by and invisible wind. The zanpakuto leaning against the wall in front of him also fell to pieces and blew away. The whole room transformed, flaking away in the same way. The next thing he knew his eyes were being struck by sunlight and he was lying on the floor.

He sat up looking at the empty room, "Hinamori!" he yelled.

There was no answer.

He slammed his fist into the floor angrily.

All ten captains were present for the meeting. Many questions and suppositions had been said, but no one could come to conclusions.

"Mayuri," Sajin said, "are you certain that Hinamori was entirely normal when you did your tests?"

"Of course captain!" he quickly lied. "You think I would hide something?"

"I was not implying deceit on your part," Komamura assured him. "Just incompetence."

Mayuri's golden eyes widened angrily, "I'll have you know that I am very capable-"

"Silence!" Genryusai ordered, "Capt. Komamura, the provocation was far from necessary." He shook his head wearily. "Let's get back to point at hand. I understand that many of you have close connections to Third Seat Hinamori. But we must take facts for what they are. She has crossed a line, no longer can we ignore that she has had a relapse. She is not mentally stable, or maybe she never was." he glanced pointedly at Komamura. "But, whether an act of personal will or one of instability, she must be imprisoned where she cannot cause harm. She is far too powerful to be allowed freedom. Current course of action, squads One, Two, and Eleven are tasked with apprehending her. Force is permitted, however I would prefer that permanent damage be avoided."

Toshiro's eyes widened angrily, he wanted to yell his opposition, but he knew it wouldn't be wise.

"But much of this isn't her fault!" Sajin barked out, surprising everyone, especially Toshiro. "Much of her suffering was caused by someone who we should have suspected all along! We jumped to judgement in the case of the Vaizards and Urahara, thus allowing Aizen to rise up the ranks. Then again with Kuchiki and the Ryoka, where Aizen was able to obtain the Hougyoku. We have been punished for those actions, are willing to start up another string of them?

"And who's to say that this isn't Aizen again. You were there when Hinamori said that Aizen was making her. I request that his seal be re-examined in case he found a breach."

The Head Captain glared back at Komamura, "This is not an issue of Aizen, no let me take that back, this is about a person who Aizen damaged beyond repair. No matter how much you care for and nurse that girl, she is not going to heal from her damaged mental state."

"You are right on one count," Komamura nodded, receiving a confused look from his elder. "She was injured by Aizen, which means indirectly it was our misjudgements. We shouldn't add to that string of mistakes by trying to cover our embarrassment!"

"Komamura," Genrysai said, shaking his head, "you are far too compassionate and you are allowing your emotions to cloud your discernment. You yourself was assaulted by her. Then Captain Hitsugaya, one of her closest friends, she cast into an illusion. Both of you dropped your guard, allowing a much weaker opponent defeat you."

Finally Toshiro did speak up, "It was not that I had lowered by guard. Her reiatsu has changed, and is far more potent. It didn't even feel like hers. We need to give her the benefit of the doubt. Something is wrong on a physical level."

"And do you have any evidence to support your claim?" Mayuri chimed in. "Because I did do a thorough examination mere hours before her actions, there was not even a hint of something wrong. Perhaps what's wrong is wishful thinking."

"Why you!" Toshiro took a threatening step towards Mayuri.

Finally having had enough, the Head Captain ordered sharply, "Tenth Squad Capt. Hitsugaya Toshiro and Seventh Squad Captain Komamura Sajin, you are both forbidden from this case as you are in conflict of interest. When not performing duties, until this situation is concluded, you are detained to your respective bases. You are both dismissed."

After the two left, Yamamoto turned to the flowery Eighth Squad Captain, "Shunsui, I want you to check up on Aizen's seal, if anything it might assure those two of reality."

It was late afternoon, the cicadas were chirping in the summer sun but Sajin stood, ignoring the peaceful environment he would normally cherish. The Head Captain's words swam around in his head, _'Compromised, conflict of interest.' Am I really that wrapped up in this? _He looked town at his still full cup of tea and his stomach flipped uneasily. _Am I that used to her being here? It's only been, what three, maybe four years? Already I can't do the simplest thing without expecting to hear her voice. Whatever Genryusai-dono thinks, Hinamori has done far more for me than I ever have for her. And I was certain that she was past any problems involving Aizen. That was resolved that one night… it's just too strange to have her bring up Aizen again. Shinsui has assured me that Aizen is safely secure, but something doesn't settle right._

He turned resolutely and grabbed his zanpakuto. _I apologise, Genryusai-dono, but it seems that now it is my turn to disobey you._

Leaves snapped in two, a spider was blown off its web, a petal of a lily was ripped off by an invisible force. Then out of the air Hinamori materialised and landed in the slope of a grassy hill, however she hadn't stopped fast enough so she tumbled down the hill, until she finally rested in a field of yarrow.

"Wow!" she exclaimed, "That's really fast. How do captains do it?"

"Oh you are much faster than some of the captains." Saha added. "However, unlike them, you have a much greater well of reiatsu than they do. After all, you hold the product of three souls, a shinigami, zanpakuto, and hollow. Such feats are not beyond you."

"All I would have liked to be was normal." Hinamori muttered sadly.

"So you don't covet such power at all?" Saha asked incredulously.

"No," she replied firmly. "I always felt that my purpose was to support those better than me. And yet that one aspiration is again and again being interrupted." She picked a yarrow and absent mindedly looked at it.

"You are a good person." Saha said.

Momo's eyes widened in surprise, "Why do you say that?"

"I hate prideful people, you know where you fit best, and that pleases me. You even acknowledge that I have my place here now. I hold no resentment to you because you accepted me humbly, and you realised there is no point to mourning for your zanpakuto, and yet at the same time, in all you humility, you recognise your own strength. That's a rare quality."

"The compliments of a hollow are also rare." the shinigami laughed. Though she couldn't see Saha, she somehow knew that the hollow was smiling under her mask. Hinamori rose from her break, "How much farther shall we run before we start practicing, I would like to learn how to use the mask."

"Let me correct you," Saha said, "we will be using the mask, you are a far cry from being able to fight with my power by yourself. What you are going to learn is how we can split the workload, because I too am not strong enough to maintain the mask, the reiatsu levels, and fight."

"Ok," Hinamori replied, "do we practice here, or move further?"

"We can do it here, however first erect a barrier to conceal our location."

"Alright!" Momo raised her hands in front of her, "Bakudo, number fifty-two…"

The open plains at the edge Rukongai seemed to ran on forever into the distance. Komamura inhaled deeply, seeking even the faintest familiar scent.

"Captain," Iba said appearing behind him. "what are you doing here?"

Komamura turned his head to look at his vice-captain with a single eye, "Tetsuzaemon, take care of the squad."

"You are going to look for her? The Head Captain forbade you." He pointed out half-heartedly.

"Are you going to stop me?" the wolf asked rhetorically.

"Bring her back safe." Iba answered proudly.

With a nod and a grunt, Komamura looked returned to his sniffing. Finally he caught something on the wind, the smell like the morning dew in the orchard. _Momo. _He sighed in relief, he could track her now. Wordlessly he sped off into the distance, towards the hills in the east, away from the sunset.

"Good luck Captain." Iba saluted.

Momo flopped down on the grassy slop, sweating heavily from all her effort. "Saha," she asked, looking up at the stars. "could we rest tonight."

"I suppose, since I can't maintain this constant dual control for very long, so for the next two days you are alone."

Momo nodded and rolled onto her side. She absentmindedly took a piece of grass and fiddled with it, letting her mind wander. _I wonder what everyone is thinking about me? Rangiku and Nanao, they probably don't know what to believe. Sajin… he probably thinks I lost it again, and am back at square one. And Shiro-kun, he's always trying to protect me, but now, I've yet again done something to make that impossible. He's probably out of his mind in worry. _She had tried to leave a note, but her hand would be trapped in place when she tried to explain the facts, just like how her voice would vanish. _They all are probably hurting, they have always told me to tell them anything that could be the matter. And I trusted them… yet I had no choice but to abandon them. _Another heavy thought crossed her mind that caused her eyes to dampen. _I could have at least said sayonara, somehow._

She closed her eyes, them feeling as heavy as her heart, and she drifted off into sleep.

_The scent, it's getting stronger!_ Sajin risked a smile. The landscape had changed to gently sloping grassy hills with sprays of blossoms adorning them. It was just a little while more. Then just as he approached the crest of another hill a narrow figure stood up and stretched right in front of him. He gasped in surprise as he tried to stop from his high speed.

Hinamori looked back at the sound just in time to see Komamura's massive form rush at her. Her eyes widened in terror as he knocked into her. She felt herself fall over and watched horrified as her captain also lost his footing. She braced herself for the feeling of getting crushed quite literally between a rock and a hard place.

Sajin quickly grabbed hold of her and flipped over to shield her as they tumbled down the hill. Near the bottom she slipped away and rolled harmlessly into the grass. He groaned a little as he sat up, certain he had bruised his backside.

"Are you alright?"

He turned to her in surprise, her tone of panic and concern were so far from what he had anticipated.

"Y-yes," he stammered, then returning to the task at hand he asked, "Momo, why did you run away? What's going on?"

"You're here to take me back?" she asked sadly.

He nodded, and saw her face fall. So he smiled nonchalantly and replied, "But you see, I'm out here against orders as well, so there's not an urgent rush. I'm not looking forward to reprimands." he winked.

She made a sigh of relief, "Then, if there's no urgency, could we just… talk?"

"Yes," he said solemnly.

She got up tentatively and sat down next to him. A moment later her head was leaned against his arm and both of them watched as the sky began to brighten with the arrival of dawn.

Sajin was the first to decide to speak. "I miss you." he felt her stiffen a little, but he braved himself to speak further. "The place feels so empty. When I wake up, there is no smile to greet me. And like you said once, tea is not enjoyable without someone to share it."

Momo lowered her head in shame, she was about to speak but Komamura continued.

"Please, tell me, what is wrong. Whatever it is, I will never be angry with you."

"Captain-"

"Sajin." he corrected.

She shook her head, "Please, don't make this so difficult." the first tears began to fall from her eyes as she rose to her feet.

""Can you even give me a hint why you are like this?" he asked urgently.

Momo knew she couldn't say yes, so she stayed silent, hoping Komamura would get the hint.

"Why won't you say anything?" he growled in irritation.

"Because I can't!" she screamed. "Literally I can't!"

"What do you mean? Like some sort of bakudo?"

She shook her head in frustration. She wanted to say what it was but she couldn't. So she sighed heavily and asked. "Do you have to take me back immediately?"

"The way I see it, I'm in trouble no matter when I return you. However I don't want to leave the squad to Iba for too long."

"Would another day be too much?" she asked.

"No."

She lay down on the grass and closed her eyes. Sajin figured it would be best to follow suit, even though he wasn't very tired.

"Hinamori," he said, "You are thinking of a way to escape me aren't you?"

She remained silent.

"I see."

"I can't tell you what's wrong." she said tearfully, "But tomorrow, I can show you. So just stay with me through today, and then you can see why I cannot return home. Can you do that?"

Sajin knew very well that he was in danger of losing his captain rank, but right now that didn't seem as important. He nodded silently.

"Good," she said drawing her sword, casting a bakudo barrier over it. "Well as we are here, we might as well do something constructive. Care to spar?"

He nodded again.

* * *

****

Gahh! Awkward endings! I didn't know how to wrap this up! Oh well, I have actual meat for next chapter's storyline. So please tell me what y'all thought! Do you like Saha? I wanted to make her different than most hollows.

Oh an you may think me weird, but I was listening to Venessa Carlton music while writing this, I'm going to need to listen to Flow for the next chapter!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**Wow, thank you everyone for your kind and encouraging reviews! Here is the third chapter, it's comparatively short but I think more happens in it than all of the others (is that bad?).**

* * *

To say that the captains' meeting was tense would be a gross understatement. All of the captains stood silently at attention while Genryusai sat, his eyes closed.

Toshiro looked around at his comrades, they had all been affected by Hinamori's disappearance, but with a captain's desertion, the situation seemed far graver. Personally, the boy felt envious of Komamura's determination. His willingness to cast everything aside for the sake of a friend left Toshiro feeling empty at his comparative inaction.

_Something is wrong with Hinamori, _Toshiro asserted. _However, I suspect strongly that it's not her doing. Something has changed in her spiritual pressure. It is probably my imagination, but the pressure felt very similar to a vaizard's. But it isn't possible that she went through the hollowfication process. _His thoughts were interrupted when the head captain's staff struck the floor once.

"After great thought," the Genryusai said in a surprisingly calm tone. "I have made the decision that we shall do nothing concerning the desertions. If they do not return in one month, we will consider it as a resignation and we will seek new shinigami to replace them. It is partly my responsibility for this. I gave in too much to Hinamori and should have retired her. Furthermore, I should have realised that Komamura would become attached too easily. In all likelihood, we will see them return in time. At the moment, we have more important things to attend to.

"And when they do come back, Hinamori is to have her powers bound permanently and sent to Rukongai. Komamura is to have a thorough review of his service and he _might_ get off with minimal punishment, however that entirely depends."

Toshiro wanted to say something in defence, after all, it was probably because of him that Komamura suggested Hinamori be stationed with him in her 'special status'.

Kurotsuchi's permanent smile widened slightly.

Momo yawned loudly as she sat up. The sun had not yet risen, making the cave around her seem even darker. She could hear Sajin's steady breathing behind her. She turned around to look at him. He had followed her all the way out here. _I really underestimated our bond. _She sighed._ I'm terrible, _she thought regretfully as she removed his captain's haori the he gave her to use as a blanket. He even let her use his massive arm as a pillow. _Such a captain humbling himself for me, I don't deserve this. Nevertheless, I can't let him carry this guilt; I need to resolve this._

She folded up the white garment and laid it beside the giant wolf then walked to the cave entrance.

_Saha, you are certain that our destruction is inevitable? _Momo asked.

_Yes, I have found where Aizen tampered with my soul; I have tried to reverse it, but in vain. We are going to die. However, that cannot stop us from making his plan fruitless._

Momo nodded, _Very well, let us compose our requiem._

_How very poetic._

"Are you going to run off again?" Sajin asked, propping himself up on his side.

The face she showed him when she turns caused a sharp pain to grip his throat. Her eyes were screaming silently in despair.

"What's wrong?" he asked, sitting up.

"I'm sorry; friend, but we must part ways here. My life has taken a turn, you belong here; I do not."

"Listen, we can go back," he urged. "You have friends; they will plead your cause."

"The road that has been set before me is one of death, do not follow me."

"That's nonsense Hi-"

"You wanted to know what caused me to snap. Well, I shall show you."

Suddenly he felt his face hit the dirt as the space was filled with a suppressive reiatsu. He was not ready for it. He looked up at her and saw white flakes converge at a corner of her face. They built onto one another forming a smooth, white mask. He coughed as the reiatsu became sharper as the mask spread across her forehead and over her eyes. Its smooth surface was broken by two trapezoid windows for her violet glowing eyes. A broad purple line ran from her right eye like a permanent stream of tears. Finally, the mask finished with a top row of broad, feline teeth.

"Your-" Komamura was unable to finish.

"Goodbye, dearest captain." she said, turning from him and vanishing.

He coughed heavily, trying to get up, but finding his muscles uncooperative. "Momo!" he roared. The silence that followed was nearly more than he could bear as the sun rose.

Jidanbo, the giant who guarded over one of the four gates, stood at his post, enjoying the serenity that the morning brought to his region. He heard something, like a mighty wind howling in the distance, then the next thing he knew, the walls activated at began to fall down from the sky, but before they did the giant felt some sort of pressure pass by him into the city.

He called out his hell butterfly and yelled, "A ryoka has appeared in Seiterei, moving very quickly!

Hinamori came to a halt at the edge courtyard before the Dagonhai gate. She tried to sense for any guards, but the world seemed empty to her.

"Why can't I sense anyone?" Momo asked.

"Because my reiatsu is overwhelming your senses," Saha replied. "I'll do any detecting."

They waited a moment longer, before moving. Momo charged towards the entrance. She raised her violet bladed sword to thrust into the door and unlock it. However instead she met with an excessively hard surface. She fell back, her hands numb from the shock of impact.

A red barrier field glowed in front of her. Saha growled from under the mask and grabbed the sword, slashing at the red barrier, but to no avail. A high pitch snicker caused them to turn.

Captain Mayuri Kurotsuchi stood before them. "Amazing," he said, barely containing his joy. "You have already resonated with your inner hollow. How very delicious. With you as a test subject, Hinamori-kun, I would have so much I could do so many… wonderful things."

"You're wrong, Mayuri-_kun_, we are not Hinamori anymore, we are Saha!" Momo/Saha let out a metallic roar and charged forward.

_If we could only defeat him, his barrier will break. _Momo mused.

Go to sleep, Momo, I can go full power for a short time; it should be ordered.

Mayuri drew his sword to deflect his target's blade but before the swords made contact, Saha disappeared. The captain flash stepped just in time to avoid the blade that would have decapitated him from behind. However, just as he arrived at his next location a line of violet steel was fast approaching his face. He raised his blade and sparks scattered with the contact.

"Impressive, that isn't a shuunpo you are using, that is a sonido." He commented.

Saha growled and drew back her sword and began striking out wrathfully. "It would be appropriate for me to use sonido, as I am a hollow!"

Mayuri easily deflected each strike then attempted to lash out with his own katana. Even though he knew he was more skilled, he did not want to waste so much energy in this way, he never did like physical combat, and he needed to back away far enough to use kido. Finally, he received an opening, he thrust out his blade catching Hinamori in the arm making a shallow, but effective cut. Saha let out a wrathful wail of pain and stepped back.

Then he advanced and made a promising swipe but Saha leapt over it sideways, the vicious blade passing just below her body. Then midair she grabbed his deathly pale wrist and as she landed she propelled him over her body, he landed on his back and she raised her blade.

At the last moment he made her release him and he rose upwards, but Saha anticipated and swung her katana towards his middle.

"Snap, Tobiume!" Hinamori's voice broke through Saha's momentarily as the mask shattered. Her violet katana sprouted prongs and fire engulfed the surface.

The captain flash stepped back as an enormous fireball blasted toward him.

_Even without the mask, her powers are greatly enhanced. _Mayuri thought, _oh well, now that I'm at a distance, she won't be able to stop me._

"Bakudo Number Sixty-T-." he began,

"Hado Number Ninety, Black Coffin!" Momo screamed.

"What!" Kurotsuchi exclaimed as a black rectangle slammed on top on him.

Momo sighed heavily; she could feel the drain of using such a powerful Hado. The black box dispersed and Maryuri fell with green fluid spattering all over the tiled ground.

"How!" he choked out, "Someone of your power shouldn't be able to use than, and without an incantation."

"I did use the incantation," she replied calmly. "But with my experience I can say them far faster than anyone else. Now, Bakudo Number Sixty-Two, Sajo Sabaku."

Gold chains appeared around the captain, locking him into an imprisoned state.

She turned away from the self-deformed captain, and looked to the gate. She through a fireball from Tobiume and the red barrier vanished. Sheathing her katana she stepped ran towards the gate.

The air of the courtyard dropped in temperature suddenly and the white haired Toshiro landed in front of her.

"Stop!" he yelled, "Hinamori, stop this!"

She looked around for some sort of escape or way around the friend who currently stood in the way. She could feel the hollowfication approaching completion, the fighting with the Eleventh Squad Captain had greatly hastened the process.

"Momo, you can stop, you're safe, you don't have to run anymore." Toshiro said soothingly. He made a quick glance at the defeated Mayuri. _Did she do this? How could she have? I was afraid that the Black Coffin had been used on her, but judging by her condition, it seems she defeated Kurotsuchi without a scratch. Where had she gotten this power?_

"Remove yourself," she ordered with more authority than he had ever heard his childhood friend utter.

"I can't." he replied, his face twisted in hurt, "Hinamori, I can't let you just go."

"If you will not move than I will make you!" she began to draw the purple blade of Tobiume from her sheath.

"You're going to draw a sword against me?" he said in wounded disbelief. "The Hinamori I knew and cared for didn't do such a thing."

"What's all this Hinamori this and Hinamori that?" The violet blade now was fully drawn and gleaming darkly in the sunlight. She raised a hand in front of her face, "If you are going to address me, call me by my real name, Saha." Her last words sounded metallic as the weeping, sinister mask spread across her face.

Toshiro just stared in speechless shock as she raised her blade towards him.

"Snap, Tobiume!"

* * *

**Woohoo! Next chapter is going to be fun! Question, what did you all think about the action? Was it well described? Did it keep your blood pumping? Or was it on the bland side?**

**Also, tell me if you think my Momo is a Mary Sue, I dread ever making one, but I hope she isn't (if anything it's Saha with all the power here, lol.). Oh and a little note, Saha cannot use kido or the sword's powers, that's why Momo's mask disappeared when she released Tobiume and began the incantation. Make's you wonder why Saha is even trying to use the shikai, hmm?**


	4. Chapter 4

**So sorry for the delay! I really struggled with a lot of the scenes, but hopefully all the extra time I spent on it paid off… Everything belongs to Tate Kubo.**

Chapter 4

"Snap, Tobiume!"

The violet sword split into twelve violet stilettos, each stabbing into the tile in a circle around her, ready to be commanded.

"That is not Tobiume's release." Toshiro muttered.

"Oh but it is," Saha corrected, "Now Tobiume has two masters, when I use her, this is the form she must take." then the hollow spun, snatching up the twelve stilettos, and threw them towards Toshiro.

The captain was well aware that he could move out of the way in time, so he waited to see her next move. Saha leapt forward into the midst of the projectiles, gathering them with various parts of her body, making them rest behind her knees, in her elbows, beside her neck, in her mouth, above her wrists and in her hands.

_What's that battle form? _Hitsugaya wondered in astonishment.

Then Saha attacked, the blades seemed to swim around her from limb to limb as she stabbed at her opponent. Hitsugaya deflected each swipe, but he knew he was falling behind; he had never faced such a bizarre fighting style. Furthermore there was not a single opening for attack.

Just as she was about to slyly though a stiletto into each of his legs, a loud roar filled the courtyard and a blast of wind struck the two fighters. Saha tumbled head over heels as Tobiume's twelve pieces were scattered in all directions.

Toshiro, after regaining his traction looked up to see Komamura, hand outstretched.

"I have come to assist you, Hitsugaya." the wolf-man barked.

"Thanks!" he replied quickly.

They watched as Hinamori rose up, her face hidden by her long, raven black hair. They saw pieces of the weeping mask crumble to the ground. When she looked up her face was half uncovered, but they didn't see the same little Momo they knew; instead before them stood a woman of exceeding graceful and terrible beauty.

"Please leave." she pleaded, a tear falling from her eye. "I don't want to hurt you."

"Momo!" Komamura shouted. "You are outnumbered; just give up, your just going to hurt yourself!"

As if to prove their point she covered her mouth as she coughed, when she stopped, her hand was coated in blood, but also in a white substance that felt like her mask. _I'm even hollowfying on the inside!_

"Yes, Hinamori, Aizen is sealed; you don't have to do anything for him. Just stop, there's no reason to fight." Toshiro reasoned.

"That is where you are mistaken," Hinamori replied, as she raised her hand to her face, "I fight because you have gotten in my way. Leave and this will be over."

"You know we can't do that." Sajin sternly replied.

_Saha, I don't know what to do, we are both on our last leg, and now we are against two captains._ Hinamori pleaded.

_I gave you the answer when I introduced myself._

_Introduced? You mean your…_

An intense reiatsu flooded the court and clouds swirled around the third seat, hiding her from view.

"What is this?" Toshiro shouted.

"It feels like…" Komamura began.

The swirling clouds swirled away, revealing what they feared.

"Bankai…" Hinamori announced. A harness had appeared around her torso, and from her back extended a single rod towards the sky. "Sahaume!"

Before the captain's eyes, the rod snapped and bent in three places, extended making an arch, and then smaller prongs sprouted and grew downward, dangling like a hundred wind chimes.

"Now, leave." Momo commanded. "I'm running out of time." Her breathing became nothing more than sobs; she couldn't hold back the pain anymore, both the physical and spiritual.

"What do you mean?" Toshiro asked, looking at his friend's tear stained face. _How did she attain bankai? And she's hollowfied too, and somehow Aizen is involved. What is going on? Is Aizen really sealed? Furthermore, why have no other shinigami come to investigate the commotion_

Sahaume's wing pulled back then flapped, sending ignited metal rods at the captains. They dodged and Momo dashed for the exit.

"Sit upon the frozen heavens, Hyorinmaru!" Toshiro sent an ice dragon after her, snatching her foot. She spun her wing which ignited and enveloping her in a fireball. The dragon vanished in a rush of steam.

From the midst of the flames, red hot rods shot out in all directions, smashing through and destroying anything they struck.

Despite their fastest movement, both of the captains were sideswiped by several of the projectiles, injuring and leaving cauterised burns. The top of Sajin's hakama fully ignited so he discarded of it quickly lest his fur catch fire as well. The entire plaza was filled with the oppressive heat, as if they were encompassed in an oven.

"Still think you can stop me?" she asked through her sobs.

"This is hurting you." Sajin said calmly.

Momo's "wing" curved and she hurled forward, her mask gradually reforming over her face. She launched herself forward then spun around, preparing to send off a volley of the red hot rods at close range.

Sajin quickly moved forward and grabbed the wing, stopping her. He grit his teeth as his gloved hands hissed and sizzled on the hot metal.

Momo was dangling in the air by her wing, she twisted and was going to flip over and strike Sajin with her foot when she felt a chill and realised her feet were both anchored to the ground with a tower of ice.

"Hinamori!" Toshiro yelled, his zanpakuto pointed directly at her neck. "You have to stop now!"

"You don't understand," Hinamori cried. "I have to leave! Look at me, I'm turning into a hollow, I have no place here!"

Komamura placed his non-burned hand on her shoulder soothingly, "Ichigo was in your same predicament, and he has been accepted, so will you." _Still, _he thought to himself, _how did she start hollowfying in the first place? Did Aizen alter her back when he was captain? But wouldn't somebody have noticed?_

"No, it's something worse!" Hinamori insisted. "I can't tell you what, but because of me, all of Soul Society is in danger. You have to let me go!"

"Just tell us what is wrong!" Toshiro insisted.

"Rest Momo," Saha commanded. "I'll take over from here." Momo's face vanished behind the hollow mask.

"Kuikiho!" she yelled. Toshiro and Komamura felt the build up of reiatsu and flash stepped away. Saha vanished in a swirling ball of fire. Moments later she emerged from the top of the fireball and up into the sky. She flapped her wing sending the metal rods down towards her friends. Then she dashed towards the Senkaimon. However, one of Toshiro's ice dragons hurled itself into her way. She raised her blade and sliced it in half, but its force against her knocked her from the air and down onto a roof, smashing the tiles beneath her.

Saha laughed, "You two must really care for her. Even in this state, you hold back so much lest you harm even a hair on her head. Well, I'm not Hinamori, and if you hold back, you're going to get killed!"

The sharp sound of a Sonido filled the air. Komamura was thrown back by the invisible assailant, smashing into a wall and Saha appeared in the air behind Toshiro and launched her rods.

Toshiro did not have time to dodge the missiles so he produced an instant mirror of ice and deflected them. However he looked in horror when he realised that their new course was directly at the currently immobile Sajin.

The wolf-man saw the weapons approaching from where he was lying in the rubble. He braced himself for the pain of impact, hardening his muscles to protect his vitals.

Another Sonido sounded and Saha now stood before him, four metal rods protruding from her chest and abdomen. Hot blood splattered on Komamura's face and bare chest, but he did not even blink. His face was trapped in a look of remorseful horror.

"Momo…" he gasped, tears welling in his eyes. "You didn't,"

Toshiro's mouth opened but no sound escaped. He had killed her, by his own hand. This was the third time he had been at fault, and it was the last. He would have wailed, but his lungs were empty.

Saha coughed, and the weeping half of the mask shattered to reveal Momo's crying face. "I couldn't," Saha said, "let you be hurt… Sajin."

The mask crumbled and Saha's voice faded away, leaving only Momo's as she said, "I'm sorry, I couldn't save you." A blinding light filled the area followed by silence.

Toshiro blinked, his eyes adjusting to the dim light. He stood and looked around. He was surprised to see everything just as it had last been, signs of combat aside, the plaza looked like it always did. He heard some rough guttural sounds, like a vocal coughing somewhere to his left. He squinted, and as his eyes adjusted, his heart fell.

Komamura was weeping; heavy rumbling noises from deep within his chest escaped from his mouth in grief-stricken barks and whines. He was rocking back and forth, pressing Hinamori's stiff, lifeless form against his warm body.

"Don't worry," Sajin spoke to her, "I remembered to plant that plum sapling you started," he coughed repeatedly then continued, "Remember, it was from the headpiece I gave you, the first time we went to the captain's meeting together." he sniffed, tears streaming from his red eyes. "I loved that smile you made then, so it's now by your window."

Toshiro looked away, shaking, tears rolling from his own eyes.

"In a few years, I want you to be surprised one day when you see plum blossoms adorning your view." Sajin continued his throat raw. "We still have a mountain of paperwork to do; it's amazing how just a couple days make it build up. I'm going to need your help, Iba is completely incompetent now since he's out of practice."

The younger captain couldn't stand it anymore. Komamura was not accepting reality, and it hurt him to see him like this, the once proud captain, brought so low. He laid a hand on the wolf-man's bare shoulder. "She's gone, Komamura."

Sajin ignored the statement, continuing to hug her close.

"Lay her down; it's not right to hold onto a body." Toshiro said firmly.

Komamura growled angrily back at him, shoving him away with his free arm, "What right do you have to speak?" he roared, tears streaming from his yellow eyes. "Did you once heed her? She cared for you, but you couldn't even say anything to her. All you did was keep your distance, maintain your pride. Because of you it's too late for her to have what she longed for!"

Toshiro didn't reply. He just gritted his teeth.

"She's dead…" Komamura whispered, realising he had referred to her in the past tense. He knew she was dead, she was not going to smile at him again, that friendly smile. And he would never smile back, with his restrained smile, the one telling her that she was a true friend, but hiding anything deeper that whispered in the back of his mind.

_I loved her, _he realised. _With a chaste, distant love, knowing she belonged to someone else, a content love, happy that I could have her be part of my life. But at the same time, another love that knew it should not exist._

He looked at the white haired young man, a feeling of rage built up in his chest. But he stopped himself. All he had done was defending himself; he had never meant to harm her neither of them had. _Besides, how can I despise someone Momo felt so deeply for?_

Toshiro likewise reflected on the situation, _Komamura was right; all I did was push her away. I was too scared. Here I am, a fully grown man, and I was too afraid to let her in. I kept telling myself that she just saw me as a little brother, but I was ignoring the look of deep love that hid itself in her eyes. I could have made her so happy…_

He felt himself tumble to the ground as a suppressive reiatsu rested heavily atop him. Sajin likewise fell on his side, unable to move.

"Ah, quite a commotion took place here." smooth voice said lazily as its owner glanced at the incapacitated Mayuri, damaged buildings, and the two captains' wounds. "I had expected more of a stand off situation, who knew that it would turn so violent."

_Aizen! _Was the captains' unified thought.

There the traitor stood, the immortal Third Squad Captain, Sousuke Aizen. He was still wrapped in the black substance placed on him by Urahara. He smiled down at them almost benevolently.

"I must thank you." he said. "Had Hinamori succeeded in her escape, I would still be sealed."

The two captains glared at him, which was all they could do under his immense pressure.

Aizen stepped by the lifeless body of his former subordinate. "Useful to the very end I see." He cocked an eyebrow. "It seems that her residual hollow powers are reacting to my presence."

Her four wounds began to fill in with a thick white substance and harden. She took in a single, light breath.

Both Komamura and Hitsugaya stared in shock, not knowing whether to feel relief, joy, anger, hatred, fear, or sorrow at the bizarre situation.

"I could destroy all of Soul Society now if I wanted." Aizen calmly ruminated, ignoring the two captains, "But it would likely drain my life away since I'm still recovering from the seal. There is no reason for me to hurry. I am a god now, I have no limited life span, I could return in an age where I am forgotten, and make the five realms my plaything." He bent down, looking at Momo's pained face. "So, Hinamori, live out your days peacefully, knowing that the future beyond you is bound to Armageddon."

Now, wordlessly, he passed through the gate, his presence vanished, and the illusion around them faded. The plaza was now filled with daylight, and members of Twelfth Squad stared in shock as the damages and the injured appeared around them.

"Well," said the Twelfth Squad's vice-captain, "I suppose we all know now why we were receiving strange readings." He maintained his bored face, in stark contrast with the other squad members. "Call for the Fourth Squad! Kyoya, Sasagawa, you two scoop up Captain Kurotsuchi into that barrel so we can take him back to be reconstituted."

Hitsugaya and Komamura sat up and looked around. They both jumped when they heard Momo gasp for breath. The holes in her robes revealed flawless skin and her chest was now rising and falling evenly with every breath.

Komamura reached to pick her up but his back made a cracking noise and he roared in pain.

Toshiro pushed him back down, "Just stay down, I'll carry her." He lifted up Momo's small form and stood tall, then flash stepped her away to the fourth squad.

A few moments later, Soi Fon appeared and recited, "Captain of the Seventh Squad, Sajin Komamura, you are summoned to the Central Forty Four to discuss your involvement in Aizen's escape."

Sajin looked up in surprise and replied ruefully as he slowly brought himself to his feet. "You people sure do work fast."

"Not really," Soi Fon admitted, "We have been detecting massive fluctuations of reiatsu, namely those of Kurotsuchi, Hinamori, a hollow, Hitsugaya and yours. But it perplexed us how when we went to investigate, no sign of conflict was evident, save for some muffled sounds. Then we detected that Aizen had escaped and passed through the barrier to the Precipice World. After that, the apparent illusion dropped."

"Not to deny the Central Forty Four their due respect," Sajin groaned, "would you be able to request for them a postponement, I am in no shape to attend a meeting."

Soi Fon nodded. "I'll attempt to reason with them." she began to walk away but turned and said, "And get yourself taken care of; even the Central Forty Four will not try to overstep Captain Unohana." She assured him, referring to the surprisingly intimidating captain of the medical squad.

"I will, and thank you." Komamura replied gratefully. Soi Fon vanished without a further word and five Fourth Squad members arrived around him and told him to stay still as they examined him.

Toshiro looked down at his sleeping friend. Captain Unohana had given her a clean bill of health, saying that her new hollow powers had somehow been stimulated to regenerate her injuries. Also another comforting fact was that she had stabilised and those same hollow powers had regressed, leaving her in a state similar to that of the Vaizards.

He was overjoyed, though of course his face wouldn't show it. When he saw her run through with the rods, the ones he deflected, he thought it would be the last time he would see her in this world.

He reached out to her hand, but hesitated, afraid to touch it. He was yet again a part of the cause for her injury. Would she fear him this time as well? He could not second guess himself any further when a small hand gripped his. He looked up to see Hinamori's brown eyes flicker open.

"Shiro-kun," she whispered.

A grin conquered his face, "Hinamori-chan!" he bent over and embraced her.

Her face looked in surprise. This was so uncharacteristic of him, but with what strength she had, she hugged back. "What happened?" she asked. "I remember fighting you two, but somewhere everything just disappeared."

Toshiro bit his lip, trying to think up something to say.

Momo continued blearily. "Saha refuses to tell me anything, she can be such a bother."

"Saha?" he asked then his eyes widened, "You mean the hollow!"

She jumped in surprise at his tone, but after he hurriedly apologised for the outburst she explained. "Saha devoured my zanpakuto, so in essence she is my katana now. She's resting right now, but we get along well enough."

"Oh," Toshiro muttered, "so is it like having a second person inside there?"

"Yes, it kind of is. Actually while I was unconscious we had much time to talk about things…" her eyes started to droop as he voice wavered.

"I should let you sleep." He said, suddenly putting on his gruff captain face.

Smiling at his antics, she drifted back to sleep, re-entering the world of the plain green stone and the black starry sky.

In the hall Toshiro met the tall wolf captain. "She's sleeping now, but she woke up for a while." he said.

Komamura nodded his muzzle, trying to contain a relieved smile. "That is reassuring. I'll just look in for a little while."

Toshiro grabbed his arm roughly. "Don't wake her up…" he ordered.

"Was never my intention."

The white haired captain nodded in approval.

Komamura slid the door open and leaned his head in. Momo was sleeping peacefully, a small smile on her face. He cautiously approached the bed. From his sleeve he retrieved a plum branch with small ripe plums covering it. He placed it carefully on the stand next to her table. Then he retrieved a pink lily also from somewhere deep in his sleeve. He placed the tender flowed in her hand, and then quietly left after telling her to sleep well.

**The end… well no this isn't the end; one more chapter to go that will wrap everything up into a nice bow. Sorry for my procrastination, and leaving you at such terrible cliff hangers. At least now it feels like a partial closing. Please tell me what you thought of the action, not something I write much of, except in my own novel.**

**And, if any of the rest of y'all had problems with the infamous error type 2 which keeps one from updating stories, the solution is on my profile.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Last Chapter! Sorry for taking so long on this, but life has been hectic (stupid excuse is stupid). So, without further ado, and after I swear that I in no way own Bleach, I present to you…**

Chapter 5

In the early dawn, Hinamori sat up in her bed. Her tired eyes surveyed her dark bedroom. She smiled lay in bed and examined the smallest details, like the spot on the roof where there had been a leak during a fall storm. Herself and Iba had been frantically trying to lay down pots and pans to catch the water. She looked at the small painting on the table. It had been drawn by Iba, who surprised them with his artistic talents after he noticed her and Komamura having lunch together. Beside it was a photograph taken just after she had gotten better. Toshiro was sitting on the bed next to her with a stiff smile. She was glad he at least tried to look cheerful for her.

She sighed, resigning to the fact she would have to get up in a few moments.

After dressing she sat before the vanity brushed her waist length brown hair. She was yet again confronted by hoards of gifts, brushes, clips, hair pieces from all of the Shinigami Ladies Association and from Sajin, who seemed to take great pride in her hair, which to this day seemed odd to her. The entire vanity was given to her by the First Squad Vice Captain, she suspected under orders of the Head Captain, who despite still being gruff towards her, had relented from his previous judgements.

"Five years…" she muttered, thinking about _that _incident at the Senkaimon. "Time flies by."

The sunlight poured in her window, and she saw a strange shadow be sprayed on her wall. She looked back, the branches of a plum tree were blossoming profusely in her windowsill. "Oh wow, so pretty!" she exclaimed. This was the first year the blossoms were visible from the window. It made her smile even greater, remembering the man who had planted it for her.

She tied up her hair and secured it with a comb and two ornate black hair pins. She walked to the office and peeked in. She frowned when she didn't see Sajin in there. "Was there a meeting this early?" she wondered.

Calmly she put on some water for tea and sat down at the desk. She read the titles of the files that were left scattered on the desk. Over the next half hour she sorted them and wrote summaries for two of the requests. She gingerly sipped from a hot cup of tea just as she finished another summary.

She heard a rumbling gasp. She sat up tense, wondering what had made the noise. Then she heard a ruckus from within Sajin's room. The door behind her slammed open making her jump. She scrambled from her seat and stared at a very dishevelled Sajin Komamura.

"Is something-?" She began to ask concernedly.

"I slept in!" he exclaimed, growling at himself.

"Ok, calm down," she ordered, frightened by his tone.

"Why didn't you wake me?" he barked.

"Sajin, despite being friends, I am not going to go into your room to wake you!" she exclaimed indignantly.

"But I have a meeting to be at, and it started an hour ago, they are confirming a new captain today!"

"You never told me this!" she yelled back.

"I better get going." he huffed, angry at himself. But he was stopped by a firm but small hand on his arm.

"You are not going anywhere looking like that!" Momo ordered.

Sajin stopped and looked at himself. His hakama was lopsided, his haori was in disorder, and his fur was sticking various strange directions.

Momo calmly continued to reason with him, "You are going to be in far more trouble if you arrive looking like that. Let me help make you look presentable."

Ten minutes later Sajin was groomed and orderly and Momo and him were hurrying to the meeting.

"We are so late." Sajin said regretfully.

Momo smiled, "On the bright side, Captain Shinsui is probably not there."

Sajin looked at her blearily, obviously still not fully awake. When her words finally clicked in his mind, he started laughing, almost like a cheerful roar.

"It really wasn't that funny," Momo insisted, as he continued to chuckle.

Thankfully, he was able to bring himself under control just as they arrived at the First Squad's headquarters, however he and Momo still had ridiculous looking grins. Their goofy smiles turned to happy ones when they came across Iba.

"Oh! Iba, glad to see you!" Momo exclaimed.

Iba's stern expression softened. "Great, how is the old Squad Seven?"

"Same as always," she replied. "But we miss you."

Sajin nodded in agreement then excused himself to the meeting he was grievously late for.

After he left, Iba waved off her sentimentality, "Yeah, but I'm more needed in Squad Two now. You took over my job ages ago, now it's just official."

"Do you like it?" Momo asked. "The new post?"

"Yeah I do, very active, though I'm not the most covert of people, hopefully that doesn't cost me like it did the late Omaeda."

"Pity what happened to him." Momo said solemnly.

"You're telling me. Soi Fon might not show it, but she misses him." Iba said, pushing up his ever present shades.

The two shinigami walked together into the vice-captain lounge. At this time they were not welcome to the meeting, so the eleven vice captains and the three third-seats, Momo included, relaxed in the plush room.

Momo glanced over at the kotatsu table and figured it would be a comfortable spot to work on the paperwork she had brought with her. Nanao waved and beckoned. She made her way towards the bespectacled vice-captain, greeting Isane, the silver haired Fourth Squad Vice Captain, as she passed.

Before she could make it to the table a measuring tape wrapped around her shoulders and pulled her back.

"Wha-!" Momo cried as she fell into a very cushioned figure.

"Stop right there!" Rangiku ordered playfully.

"What are you doing?" Momo asked.

"Leave her alone!" Nanao order, pushing up her glasses in irritation.

"I need to take her measurements!" the busty redhead declared.

"Why?" Momo asked, blushing deeply as Rangiku measured her leg and hips.

"Because," the redhead exclaimed, "I'm going to have a kimono made for you."

"Oh you don't have to do that," Momo began to say, but was sent into silence when Rangiku spoke again, loudly.

"Oh wow, you passed the 115 centimetre mark for your bust line! I now consider you a woman! Especially for your height!"

Momo's mouth dropped in shock. All the other vice-captains had their eyes on the scene with various reactions, ranging from shock and disgust, to grins and once-overs.

"R-Rangiku!" she hissed.

"Relax, I'm almost done." Rangiku grinned as if all was normal.

Finally released of her clutches, Hinamori sat down by Nanao, keeping a wary eye on Rangiku who was now yakking with Yachiru and taunting Isane.

"That woman…" Nanao said disapprovingly.

"I know, but I suppose she meant well. Not that I ever expected a gift. My birthday isn't coming up." Momo continued to wonder.

"Be careful," Nanao warned. "When that fire-headed woman does something 'nice' it always has some hidden string…" Suddenly Nanao mind went into overdrive. "Momo?"

"Yes?"

"Have you and Toshiro made any… commitments?" Nanao asked carefully.

"Huh? N-n-no!" Momo replied. "We aren't like that. I mean, he comes to visit every week and sometimes we have lunch in the office with Komamura." Momo cringed at Nanao's raised eyebrow. "What?"

"Well, those are kind of significant things." Nanao replied.

"Oh come on, we grew up together…"

"They say it's better when you already know one another." the older lieutenant insisted.

Momo was thinking of a reply when the summons was announced for the vice-captains.

"It seems the captains are done with captain stuff." Nanao muttered.

The vice captains all filed out into the main hall. Momo was taken aback when she saw her friend Renji wearing the captain's Haori of the Fifth Squad. "You're a captain!" she exclaimed then covered her mouth hurriedly, it wasn't appropriate to raise one's voice in the grand hall.

He nodded with a smile. There were no only three more captains needed, Third, Ninth, and Twelfth which was empty because of a self experiment that went horribly wrong for the late Kurotsuchi, not that anyone cried too many tears.

The head captain cleared his throat and spoke in his ancient, gravely voice. "We have two things to announce, firstly, on suggestion of Captain Hitsugaya, who as we all know was merely forwarding the request from Matsumoto,"

The white haired captain hunched forward angrily as he blushed.

"There is going to be a festival held in a week commemorating the new selection of Captain Renji Abarai."

Everyone cheered happily for the appointment, though some were more excited about the party, notably Matsumoto, who jumped up and down to everyone's embarrassment and Hisagi's nose bleed.

"And secondly," Genryusai continued, "We have narrowed down the remaining candidates for captain. Please come forward," all the vice captains held their breath, awaiting the verdict, "Vice Captain Shuuhei Hisagi and 3rd Seat Ikkaku Aburame."

Shuuhei walked forward proudly and eager. Ikkaku displayed considerably less enthusiasm, the bald warrior purely distraught over leaving the eleventh squad.

Kenpachi grabbed his shoulder roughly as he passed. "If you fail, I'll kill you." he threatened happily, much to Ikkaku's chagrin.

"Yay baldy!" Yachiru cheered.

"Congradulations on your candidacy." Genryusai said, then with a wave they were dismissed.

"The seat of Twelfth squad is henceforth restored to Kisuke Urahara, who was unable to attend." Polite applause ensued, no one was disappointed with the choice.

"And thirdly," Genryusai continued, "Third Seat Momo Hinamori, please step forward."

As soon as her name was spoken, Momo's breathing stopped. She looked nervously around her. _Why me?_ she wondered. She forced herself to resume breathing and maintain a quiet heartbeat. She stepped forward, standing between the two rows of captains. She stood up stiffly, staring bravely into the head captain's sharp eyes.

"Momo Hinamori, henceforth you are now restored from your probationary status, and secondly, if Captain Komamura would agree, you shall be given the rank of Vice Captain of the Seventh Squad."

Automatically her head swerved to her captain, her nodded with a cheerful gaze. She almost jumped out of her skin when Genryusai spoke again.

"And, you are also a candidate to the station of captain."

Momo's eyes almost popped out of her face, along with those of Ikkaku and Hisagi. Everyone had figured there would be next to no competition, but now there were three candidates and two seats. The level of excitement in the room made the air almost seem electrified. It had been so long since there had been competition of this scale, it would likely be the talk of all Soul Society for a long time to come.

Genryusai smiled at Momo's stunned expression, but he knew what he would say next would surprise her even more. "And finally, I would like to speak to Saha Tobiume."

Momo was dumbstruck, along with everyone else in the room. Only Toshiro and Komamura knew that Saha was the hollow within Momo. Everyone else just stared blankly.

Finally Hinamori nodded and slowly raised her hands removing her hairpiece, allowing her long brown hair to cascade down her shoulders and back. The silently she raised her hand to her face. All the shinigami tensed, familiar with the gesture. The white mask spread over her face and her hair turned a iridescent black colour. She raised her head, her glowing violet eyes staring at the head captain, awaiting his words.

"Saha Tobiume, you are granted the rank of third seat," gasps echoed though the hall in response to the head captains shocking words, "and you will remain one rank behind Momo Hinamori for the rest of your existence. You are to obey her and to follow the laws and rules of Soul Society. Do you accept this?"

"I accept it humbly," Saha replied, her hollow voice screeching out from behind the twin fangs.

"You are the first hollow to be granted Shinigami status, you have received both authority and responsibility and any deviant actions will be dealt with accordingly."

"Agreed," Saha replied, then turned to Sajin, "I look forward to our future ventures, Captain," then she made eye contact with all the other captains and returned her eyes to Komamura, "And with all others present here."

The mask cracked and shattered, vaporising away leaving Momo as she was before. She silently tied up her hair. The room was still silent. She smiled and giggled. "Well, Saha must like you, she's normally not that nice."

There were a few nervous laughs as everyone attempted to mentally accommodate for a hollow being a member of the Court Guard Squads.

"And one more thing." all the captains turned and seemed surprised at Genryusai's grinning, almost grandfatherly face. "In one week we have the\ festival, so all captains go to the festival organiser Vice-Captain Matsumoto."

The week passed all too quickly and the final touches to the festival grounds were only barely finished in time.

Komamura waited rather impatiently at the seventh squad gate. He was dressed in his captain's kimono, gauntlets and shoulder guards included. Despite all of Momo's protests, he insisted on wearing what he was most comfortable in.

_At least I don't take a half hour like that woma-, _His grumbling ceased immediately as Momo emerged from the barracks, forcing the captain's heart to skip several beats.

To his surprise she wasn't wearing a kimono, but a pink china dress with dark purple floral designs. Beneath the high neck there was an opening revealing her chest and the top of her bust line. In addition there were high slits in the dress climbing halfway up her thighs.

He was still speechless as she silently wrapped her bare arms around his, causing him to wish that he hadn't worn the gauntlets. "I-I thought you were going to wear a kimono…" he stuttered out nervously, trying desperately to focus on his third seat's face, and only her face.

"Matsumoto lied… explains why she had to be so thorough with her measurements…" She sighed. "I look like a call girl."

Sajin stared intently at the lantern lined street before them. "You look… very beauti-beau- beautiful!" He could feel his ears turn crimson underneath the soft fur.

Momo smiled. "Thanks… you look cute as always." Momo was surprised at her forwardness, but with wearing such a revealing dress, she kind of felt there was no reason to even attempt reservation, not to mention Saha was urging her to tell Sajin that he was cute. She felt odd about her hollow's occasional obsession with her captain.

The walk to the festival was initially silent but soon, despite Momo's awkward outfit, the two slipped back into their normal quiet conversation. As they entered the festival Momo spotted Yachiro and Kotetsu. "You don't mind if I abandon you for a while?" she asked.

Komamura nodded his muzzle and she hurried off as quickly as she could without disrupting her remaining modesty.

Sajin sat down at the closest concession stand, hunching his massive body wearily on the bar. He heard a low whistle beside him. It was Hisagi and the captain didn't even have to glance to know what the slightly inebriated man was staring at. Sajin wearily ordered a drink and downed it in one go, hoping the burning sake would calm his nerves. He didn't know how long he could last and almost wished Momo was remain with the other ladies, almost.

"Some get-up you got for her Captain, didn't know you had such fantastic taste."

Sajin rolled his eyes at Hisagi's comment.

"Indeed,"

Sajin would have been startled by the flowery captain's sudden appearance next to him if it weren't that the calming sake wasn't already taking it's affect.

"It- it wasn't my idea… Matsu-…" Komamura weakly tried to defend his reputation, but found himself unable to keep talking. This was going to be a long night.

All too soon, Momo hurried back to his side. "Come on, there's a dunking pool, and Izuru is the victim!"

Komamura allowed himself to be dragged along, to attraction after attraction until finally Momo burned out and the two contented themselves sitting on a bench munching on dango.

Momo brushed her dress absentmindedly. "Thank you Sajin, tonight was really special."

Sajin look down at the ground guiltily. "I hardly said anything."

"You didn't need to." She rested her head on his arm, causing his muscles to tense, though she didn't notice. "Sajin…"

"Yes?"

"Do you think I would make a good captain?"

"A better one than baldy."

Momo laughed at Sajin's use of Yachiru's insult. "I don't know if I can do it… I'm just so nervous, I've done so many shameful things, I just doubt I could-"

She was surprised when Sajin suddenly shifted. She had to catch herself from sprawling across the bench. The wolf captain lowered himself to the ground to be closer to eyelevel and knelt before Momo. For a moment he just admired her, particularly her dark hair which he loved.

Finally when he felt the silence went on too long he spoke, "Momo, the point of a captain isn't whether he made mistakes or not." Sajin rased his hand and gently pressed up her chin so she was looking directly at him. "The point is that he corrects and overcomes them. You have done both fantastically, and I am so proud of you."

As they silently stared at one another, Momo's eyes watered and she smiled, then bit her lip, betraying her nervousness.

Sajin was entranced with her eyes and a strange heat was spreading across his belly, perhaps the sake. He did not know what he was thinking, but he desperately wanted to move closer, and he almost did except that he noticed her eyes shift elsewhere. He turned his head to see Toshiro, standing stock still to the left.

"Shiro-chan!" Momo exclaimed, standing up. She looked back at Komamura, who was still kneeling, hand frozen midair where her chin had been. Sajin stood up, and nodded permission for her to join him.

His heart fell as he watched the two of them walk away. He assured himself it was better like this, but somewhere desperately, he wanted Momo to look back at him. She did not look back.

He made his way dejectedly back to the barracks and sat at his desk, he growl/sighed heavily. Despite feeling down, at the same time, he felt extremely happy. He knew that the beautiful young woman he had spent the last several years with was smiling, he just was not there to see it, nor was he the reason for that brightest smile she always used when she saw the Tenth Captain. Sajin went to bed with a heavy heart, hoping the morning would bring relief.

Elsewhere Momo suddenly thought of the time. She turned to the white haired captain beside her, gently holding her hand.

"I should probably head back, Sajin is going to need me in the morning."

Toshiro winced at her accidental use of her captain's given name. His voice wavered nervously. "Hinamori-kun… I mean, Momo, I… I wo…"

"What's wrong?" Momo looked down at her outfit embarrassingly. "Is my dress making you awkward? It was Matsumoto's idea and-"

"Momo!"

She close her mouth immediately.

"Will you… would you…"

Momo swallowed nervously, and evening light shined down on the two gently, making Toshiro's hair seem to glow and his blue eyes shine brilliantly.

"Will you be…" Toshiro was beginning to panic, he couldn't speak, so he acted, pulling the young woman closer and kissing her.

When he broke away, both of them were blushing. That had been the first kiss for both of them and they were trying to digest the reality of it all.

"Will you be my…"

Momo nodded. Elated, Toshiro kissed her again, it was awkward, but tender and both of their hearts felt ready to explode as all their memories together ran through their minds.

Eight months passed. The captain's tests had ended resulting in Hisagi and Madarame becoming the new captains filling the remaining two captain seats. Despite not gaining the title of captain, Hinamori was stiff competition for the two other shinigami and she trumped both of them in the bankai test. Momo still walked away happy, because shortly after the tests she was joyously married to Toshiro Hitsugaya.

The ceremony had her heart fluttering and she did all in her power to keep her feet from squirming. She forced her only conscious thought to be of Toshiro, but deep inside her, she felt the emptiness Saha left behind. The hollow had become more and more silent as the wedding day approached, and now she ceased to even leave a presence. But happiness hid all worries on this beautiful day. She glanced over at the kneeling Komamura.

As Toshiro was not especially friendly with any men, Hinamori insisted that Sajin be the best man. It was a good choice, especially since the captain's stern yellow eyes somehow scared away the worst of the anxiety.

Komamura fulfilled his role brilliantly, receiving several approving glances from the female shinigami on how nice he looked in formal attire. Komamura did not notice, his eyes were on Momo the entire time and inside he felt as if he was at a funeral, if it were not that every time the young woman smiled his heart would rejoice vicariously. He knew he loved her, but that fire of passion he felt that night had long burned away. He figured it was probably a mix of several things; the sake, the festive atmosphere, the pail moon illuminating her fair skin, the scent of her hair which was tied up with a hair piece he had given her and probably most of all, the revealing outfit the wild redhead had forced her to wear.

After the ceremony, as he watched the happy couple depart for their honeymoon, he realised he would never experience such proximity to her again. This was his farewell to that bliss. _It wouldn't have worked anyway._ He smiled bitterly and flash stepped away.

Toshiro and Momo began to board the marriage litre carried by the four shinigami. Toshiro extended his hand to his bride to help her up. Momo reached for his hand but stopped. Something she could best describe as a bruise struck her heart as a realisation came to her. She looked back, searching the crowd for her friend. He was not there. She had not seen him smile once the entire ceremony. For the first time she realised how much she would miss that frightening grin and barking laugh.

_Those days are long gone, _Saha reminded her with almost a hint of bitterness. _This is our farewell to bliss and your entrance into a new one._

Momo turned back to her beloved, as a tear of letting go rolled down her cheek as she realised just how important of a friend she left behind. Toshiro smiled, his eyes wet with happiness. Momo took his hand, and so began her happily ever after.

For years to come, Sajin remembered that moment on the bench every day, the pain of regret lessening each time. In the end, he decided that what he had experienced was a good thing. He had opened up his heart to a woman, first as a friend, and then as something more. He felt as if he had revealed a new part of himself. A part that knew what it was like to be in love.

Fin

**And so ends the Tea and Tails/Farewell to Bliss saga! So, did y'all like the conclusion? I really, really hope so, especially since this is my first complete multi-chapter story. Will I write about Sajin and/or Momo again? Maybe someday. When I write the Bleach and Naruto AU fics set in real(ish) world. But until then, this is the end of my Bleach writing. Look out for my other projects for Naruto and Tiger & Bunny (my latest obsession).**

**Please review!**


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